[Warning: This article will contain spoilers for current comics that are out right now in stores.]

Thank you guys for being so wonderfully patient! With school, internship, and work, I’ve been barely able to read a comic a day (if that!) AND I caught up on Afterlife with Archie so I could get #10 for review before the new Josie and the Pussycats comic comes out (which will be in this month’s box). Here’s what was in September’s box:

Wonder Woman #5

Titans #2

Batgirl #2

Archie #11

Justice League #4

Batman #6

Boo, The World’s Cutest Dog #1 (New to the box!)

Afterlife with Archie #10 (New to the box!)

Cyborg Rebirth #1 (New to the box!)

Nightwing #4

Powerpuff Girls #3

Sherlock: A Study in Pink #4

Archie #12

Jughead #9

Cyborg #1

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #2

Wonder Woman #6

Batman #7

Justice League #5

Nightwing #5

Raven #1 (New to the box!)

Wonder Woman #5

Summary: “”The Lies” part three! Steve Trevor finds himself trapped in the heart of Urzkartaga’s darkness, with Wonder Woman and Cheetah the only hope of rescue for him and his men. But how far can Cheetah be trusted?”

I’m back to not really liking this plot line.

Now it’s more confusing because of the fact that Wonder Woman, the main character that we are supposed to follow, is just as confused as we are. Readers have been given no hints as to what the truth is, and now the comic wants to feed us information we already know.

On the bright side, the art is kind of growing on me. There is one really good panel where Steve was being held down by snakes as tortue. It was a pretty cool visual, but not not cool enough to add any sense to this comic.

Titans #2

Summary: ““Remember the Titans” part two! As the Titans prepare to do the unthinkable in order to defeat the intergalactic demon that stole time itself from the DC Universe, enter the Fearsome Five! But are the sinister quintet acting of their own accord…or are greater forces at work?”

I really love this comic and the way it’s going right now.

This issue is about Kadabra taking the Titans’ younger essences and having them fight their younger selves. It’s a fun concept that does make for awesome fight scenes.

The only downside is that I know this is going to be a “we all have to fight someone else’s self since we know all our own moves”, but then again, I could be wrong. Even if that is the turn around plot point, I think it can still be fun and interesting because we haven’t seen everyone’s current moves.

As usual, the art looks awesome. The fight scenes show this really well and I really like the cover of this issue, too. It reminds me a lot of the early 2000’s show Teen Titans where the boys had their souls trapped in puppets and the girls had theirs switched.

Batgirl #2

Summary:““Beyond Burnside” part two. Batgirl is off to Singapore! Following the mysterious advice of the ancient superhero known as Fruit Bat, Babs dives into the dangerous world of MMA fighting. But her first opponent may be more than just an adversary in the ring. Could she be connected to Babs’ new travel-companion-slash-maybe-crush?”

Though I’m still liking this comic, the previous comic’s cliffhanger was pointless since Babs can’t train at the gym Fruit Bat suggested. She does get trained at another gym by May, but it bothered me that the cliffhanger ended so abruptly and it probably won’t matter as we continue through the comic.

I really love Batgirl as a character. Her facial expressions really crack me up and she’s really well written. It’s obvious that she is an actual human being underneath the mask and the training, which can be rare to see in super hero comics. I also love how smart she is – she noticed a few people with different Chinese tats when they were both Japanese, whichI thought that was pretty awesome.

I’m liking all the characters in this comic, really. I like May, who’s real tough and honest, but is clearly working with Babs because she has talent. I like Kai, even though the kiss between him and Babs clearly wasn’t something Babs was ready for.

The art is amazing… as usual. The fight scenes look amazing and the blood doesn’t look too jarring to the point where I wouldn’t want to read the comic.

Archie #11

Summary:“Archie and Jughead have been playing their instruments in Archie’s garage for a while, but now it’s finally time for them to take their talents elsewhere. Veronica suggests that the two form a band — assuming, of course, that she gets to be their lead singer. This bothers Betty, since music was a deep connection that she had always shared with Archie — so she’ll just have to form her own rival band. Now it’s #TeamArchie vs. #TeamBetty in a battle of the bands that has the whole school picking sides!”

The writing in this comic is so rushed and weird.

At the beginning of the comic, Archie is literally spoon feeding us the exposition and then adding some nonsense about Veronica being a reality TV star? What? When has this been a thing at all?

The writing only gets worse when you now add in the fact that Veronica can only sing well in the band if she’s looking at Archie. That doesn’t even make a lick of sense!

Listen, I use to watch The Naked Brothers Band as a kid. It was terrible and they even had one plot where their babysitter could only sing well in the shower. Though that could have easily been chalked up to acoustics, that’s not how they played it. This still makes more sense that Veronica only being able to sing well when looking at Archie. Is she a Disney Princess or something? It makes no sense.

The shitty writing of this comic continued with its rushed ending, which saw Archie and Betty apologizing and hugging (causing issues for the next comic with their significant others).

I can’t even applaud the art style. They got a new artist for this and it’s definitely off. At some parts, Jughead looks like Flynn Rider from Tangled. Which perhaps make sense considering the faux Disney aspect of the writing.

Maybe #12 will be better. Maybe.

Justice League #4

Summary:““THE EXTINCTION MACHINE” part 4! In the center of the Earth, Superman faces three doomsday machines set to tear the world apart, while Earth’s two Green Lanterns discover just what a purged planet is truly like. The Kindred are awake and hold the truth about the beginnings of humanity.”

This issue continues the plot of the Justice League attempting to stop all these natural disasters and the people/god things creating them, and I’m so over it. I want this to be over and moved on.

Throughout this, any idea I had of defeating these characters was brought up, which begged the question, why didn’t they do this earlier?

It’s frustrating to have to deal with Superman in this comic. He’s still trying to stop the power in the center of the Earth, and I’m hoping the whole time that the power is too strong and will kill him, as he mentions near the end that he if he fails, Lois and his son will die. Really? That’s all that matters? Not the fact that your team and THE ENTIRE PLANET will die. I understand he’s an alien, but if he doesn’t care about this planet, why even bother saving it?

The art is nice, but not nice enough to make up for this tiring plot point and Superman’s poor characterization.

Batman #6

Summary:““I AM GOTHAM” epilogue. In this stand-alone tale, Batman seeks redemption as he tries to keep Gotham Girl from going down a dangerous path. But can the Dark Knight save someone who doesn’t want to be saved?”

This one is a bit of an annoying comic, too.

It wasn’t implied previously that Gotham died, so seeing Claire’s reaction (which came out of nowhere) and talking to herself is too sudden and confusing. The writer really never explored her powers until now, where she is slowly killing herself. It is not okay to bring this up out of nowhere and just accept it. Claire talking to herself gets super annoying, as well (even though she’s supposed to be talking to her brother).

The only part I really liked was Batman trying to help her grieve. He goes to Alfred and asks how he helped him with grieving his parents. I think it’s really nice that he reveals his secret identity to her and wants to help her. Nice, but sadly it’s out of nowhere.

The art style is okay. There’s no big changes or anything that I really think is amazing, but I did like it.

Summary: “The World’s Cutest Dog comes to comics! He’s Boo, the Pomeranian pup that’s become an internet sensation, and he’s ready for four-color adventures in his first-ever comic book! In this debut issue, Boo and his canine companions Buddy and Blueberry Pie create kitchen chaos when they can’t control their tummy rumblings; our favorite doggie becomes a “Boo-vie star” when he lucks into a Hollywood audition; and finally, Boo celebrates the birthday of adorable eight-year-old Audrey… but the party gets out of hand! Comic readers of all ages will love the whimsical, fun-filled escapades of Boo, the World’s Cutest Dog!”

This comic is all around adorable.

I really like these stories and I particularly enjoyed this one. Plus, all of the advertisements were at the end of the comic, as to not clog up the story. It was kind of cool.

There were three stories in this issue, but I’m only going to mention two of them.

The first story is “Boo and the Birthday Bash”, and I have never felt as bad for a character than I did for the little girl in the story. She gets Boo for her birthday and all her friends are so distracted by the cute dog at her birthday party that they ignore her. It was so sad – I felt bad since she’s just a little girl.

The second story – and my personal favorite – is titled “One Boo Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. This story is about Boo and his doggy friends trying to feed themselves since their Human is sick. It’s super cute because they are genuinely worried that Human won’t be able to take care of them. Though in the end, she of course does get up to take care of them. It was a super cute read!

Afterlife with Archie #10

Summary:“Interlude with the Pussycats BETTY: RIP Part 5, “Interlude with the Pussycats” Before the end of the world began, a female pop trio was setting charts on fire. But in a world of TMZ and paparazzi-driven media, somehow these women kept their private lives a secret from everyone — until now. A full-access interview promises to show the tragic and terrifying origin story of Josie and the Pussycats. For TEEN+ Readers.”

This is the second story from Afterlife where they pull away from the group (who are trying to survive the zombies). The first one told the story of Sabrina getting her punishment, while this one starts a new story line all together.

I really like this comic series, and this issue in particular. This comic is a really good example of how to tell stories about existing characters in a new and interesting way without randomly shoving characters together and having them shovel all this story out via exposition.

I really love the story of thes orphan girls growing up in the early 1920s and becoming singers. It shows them being naive and paying the price for it. The set up is amazing, the explanation for how they can go unnoticed is wonderful, and how they lead up to being in Riverdale is fantastic.

One part in particular that I would recommend based on this alone is the fact that Valerie is almost kicked out multiple times because she is black, and how does she get vengeance for all this racist hate? She and the girls literally attack and kill multiple groups of the KKK. It’s absolutely beautiful to read and I’m glad that they brought up this issue at all.

This could easily be one of the best comics I have read all year.

Cyborg Rebirth

Summary:“Victor Stone was once a star athlete and brilliant student with a bright future. But after a tragic accident destroyed over half of his body, Victor was kept alive by merging flesh with advanced technology. Today he is the Justice League co-founder called Cyborg. But is the young hero a man…or a machine that merely believes it’s a man?”

Though I haven’t read the new Titans Rebirth yet, I would have to say that this right now is probably my favorite first story (though I really liked Batgirl too). This comic was amazing and I really loved it!

The art style was absolutely great and paired perfectly with the story. I think it was beautiful and I would recommend this comic on art style alone.

When it comes to the actual story, the writer goes back far enough to do background on Cyborg’s parents. I really like the characterization of his parents, especially with his father, who has an internal conflict of saving his son with alien technology and possibly losing his son personality wise. It was something that really pulled at my heartstrings when I read it.

Nightwing #4

Summary:““BETTER THAN BATMAN” part 4! At last, Nightwing and Raptor enact their endgame to shut down the Parliament of Owls permanently! But the Parliament has one last card up its sleeves: The Moloch, a giant owl monster whose mission is simple: eviscerate Nightwing and Raptor.”

This comic was very much a character building relationship story between Raptor and Nightwing. The two are fighting side by side a lot of the time in this comic, saving innocent people, and even reveal that Raptor was part of the circus like Dick was. I really liked it, but I feel like the writer was not doing any real plot structure.

The one part I really enjoyed about this comic is the building relationship between Dick and Bruce. It’s something that they still work on because Dick has left for so long. It’s really nice and it was nice to see it outside a fighting setting.

The art is starting to grow on me, but it’s still very weird that Bruce looks more like Dick than Dick is suppose to.

Powerpuff Girls #3

Summary:“Donny the Unicorn may have magical unicorn powers but you know what he doesn’t have? Money. Lucky for him, Princess Morbucks is hiring a personal assistant and is more than willing to have a superpowered magical unicorn in her employ. But when she wants him to help her destroy his BFF’s Powerpuff Girls, Donny must decide what’s more important to him!”

I really have been enjoying this comic series so far, but sadly, this comic is my least favorite so far.

I hate the character Donny. I know he’s new and from the show, but he’ so annoying. At one point, he even references The Legend of Zelda TV series from 1989 doing the signature phrase “Well, excuuuuuuuuuse me!” Really? What child is going to get that reference? I barely know the reference and I was born in 1994. He also mentions waffles constantly. What is with Cartoon Network shows referencing waffles so much?

Another thing I really didn’t like about the comic is the fact that there’s loose references to the old show. Princess is in the comic, but then at the beginning of the comic, the girls have after school jobs. How old are they? Aren’t they suppose to be 5?

The art is really the only good thing, but again, it looks better as a comic, not as a show.

Sherlock: A Study in Pink #4

Title:Sherlock: A Study in Pink

Written by: Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat

Art by: Jay

Published by: Titan Comics

Release Date: September 14, 2016

Price: $3.99

Summary: “Sherlock and John take to the streets of London on a breathless foot chase – but is their quarry any closer to being caught? What kind of mind does it take to baffle – and challenge – the peerless Sherlock Holmes?! The mystery deepens in the latest thrilling issue of the Sherlock manga!”

This comic really almost ignited my shipping heart again. I use to heavily ship Johnlock and the scene of them at the restaurant is probably what started it. The dialogue is very funny and it’s shown a lot better through the show.

One of the benefits of having this medium is the fact that you get a panel seeing John leaving his cane behind. You could argue that this would ruin the surprise, but I found it very cute. I also really like showing the maps and streets of London so you could see where they would be going.

The art style is still really nice, but I’m glad they’re using the medium to their advantage.

Archie #12

Title:Archie

Written by: Mark Waid

Art by: Thomas Pittilli

Published by: Archie Comics

Release Date: September 21, 2016

Price: $3.99

Summary:“The end of an era for Riverdale’s power couple! The romantic rivalries and not-so-friendly competitions in Riverdale will finally come to an end as newly-crowned queen of Riverdale Veronica Lodge is sent packing once and for all! What does this mean for Archie? You won’t want to miss this one!”

This comic felt so rushed and short. Every single bit. The fighting, the blowing over the election, Veronica leaving. I think this is so that way we can forget about all those little pesky story lines when the next issue is going to be about the arrival of Cheryl Blossom.

I understand wanting to only have one bitchy rich girl, but I don’t feel bad about her leaving. Throughout this entire comic series, Veronica has ruined relationships, made Archie look like a jerk with not caring about his family or friends, technically ruined a teaching and political career, and have her uproot Archie’s family so that way she can have what she want. Oh yeah, I’m suppose to be sympathetic and miss her. Not gonna happen.

Minor nit pick, but someone please teach Archie Comics how cellphone batteries work. While trying to get in contact with Veronica, Archie’s battery starts at 20%. When she finally contacts and all he did was get dressed, it’s dropped to 3. Either Archie has the literal worst battery ever or the Archie comics needed to add more unnecessary tension.

The art style is not even something to really enjoy because it looks like something from an anime made not in Japan. It’s a shame because I do like this comic series, though it frustrates the hell out of me.

Basically, this whole issue and Veronica leaving left me like this:

Jughead #9

Title:Jughead

Written by: Ryan North

Art by: Derek Charm

Published by: Archie Comics

Release Date: September 7, 2016

Price: $3.99

Summary:“(It’s kind of like a) BRAND NEW #1… except it’s issue #9! SABRINA makes her debut in the NEW RIVERDALE and things are about to get INSANE! New story! New arc! New creative team! Pop Tate’s has a new mascot: it’s a lady in a burger costume with a giant burger for a head! And she never takes off that giant burger head! And she and Jughead really hit it off, probably for that very reason! But is it possible Burger Lady is MORE than she appears? Find out what happens when Jughead meets a burger he REALLY likes—and a POWERFUL and unexpected new force in Riverdale is revealed!! P.S.: that powerful and unexpected new force is SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH! SHE’S the Burger Lady!”

I really like this comic series still. Even with the new writer, I’ve really enjoyed it.

From beginning to end, this comic is fun, and it kind of worried me a bit. The whole comic is about Jughead slowly becoming friends with a Burger Lady that advertises outside of Pop’s. He does eventually get asked out by her, and he’s going through the “I have no idea what to do with dates because asexual”.

The only thing I didn’t like is the fact that we don’t really know it’s Sabrina until the end and we don’t get to know her at all. Hopefully, it will be made up for next comic.

Cyborg #1

Title:Cyborg

Written by: John Semper Jr

Art by: Will Conrad

Published by: DC Comics

Release Date: September 21, 2016

Price: $2.99

Summary: ““THE IMITATION OF LIFE” part one! Cyborg is thrown into conflict with every robotic threat to the DC Universe as a brand new era begins for Victor Stone, courtesy of writer John Semper Jr. (Spider-Man: The Animated Series) and artist Will Conrad (Angel & Faith)!”

I really like this comic as well. The internal struggle of “Am I still who am I with these robotic parts or am I just a shell of it?” is a really good and it’s better than most of the Rebirth issues where this issue is dropped.

One of the things I really liked is the fact that almost all the characters are black. They could have easily just made Victor and his folks black with everyone being white, but instead, they really take advantage of the Detroit setting. From seeing Blue, the blind veteran that sings the blues, and his friend Sarah, it’s great to see the diverse characters. Even little fans that come up to him while he was trying to be incognito to get ice cream are black and it’s cute.

The only thing I really didn’t like was the reference to Superman in the Justice League (this is the third one this month I noticed) and they were shitting out exposition when Cyborg Rebirth is a thing. If this was fixed, it probably would have been my favorite comic this month.

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #2

Title:Batgirl and the Birds of Prey

Written by: Julie and Shawna Benson

Art by: Claire Roe

Published by: DC Comics

Release Date: September 14, 2016

Price: $2.99

Summary:““WHO IS ORACLE?” part 3! Batgirl, Black Canary, and Huntress must team up with the GCPD to protect a mafia capo from an attack by his one-time friends! He’s the only man with a lead on the nefarious new Oracle…but dead men tell no tales! Of course, it’s hard to make a team-up work when the team’s ready to tear itself apart on its first mission!”

This comic is very action packed at the beginning, but as we get into more it, it’s a heavy dialogue comic. I did love the commentary except for when Batgirl’s thoughts were interrupting someone while they were talking since it was clunky.

I really didn’t like the fact that Gordon, Barbra’s dad, literally called Batman to help out with this. Sure, he doesn’t know that Batgirl is Babs, but really? Batman? She couldn’t handle this at all herself?

I would have to say that this is my least favorite of the series so far, but it’s not terrible like Powerpuff Girls #3 was.

Wonder Woman #6

Title:Wonder Woman

Written by: Greg Rucka

Art by: Nicola Scott

Published by: DC Comics

Release Date: September 14, 2016

Price: $2.99

Summary: ““WONDER WOMAN YEAR ONE” part 3! Diana brings Steve back home, but the reception is not what either of them expected. Amid suspicion and a looming threat, the Patrons pay a visit, and new friendships are forged.”

I didn’t think I was going to like this issue. It started off with a bunch of “They’re going to be love interests” cliches between Diana and Steve as well as “foreigner in a new land” cliches. I wasn’t holding out for much on this one, and sadly, this is the story line I like of the two going on so it would be disappointing.

What instead happen was I ended up feeling bad for Diana. She’s trapped in jail in a world where she doesn’t know the language and little to no one is really trying to help figure out what she’s saying or why she’s here. It’s not even until the end of the comic that someone can attempt to figure it out.

I also really love the cover for this issue. The animals are the Gods visiting her and they really captured how happy she is to have things that understand her.

Batman #7

Title:Batman

Written by: Tom King

Art by: Riley Rossmo

Published by: DC Comics

Release Date: September 21, 2016

Price: $2.99

Summary:““NIGHT OF THE MONSTER MEN” part 1! The first crossover of the “Rebirth” era is here! As a huge storm approaches, Batman, Batwoman, and Nightwing try and prepare Gotham City for the worst, but nothing can prepare them for enormous tall monsters rampaging through the streets! Batman will need all of his allies to unite in order to stop these mad science monsters from tearing their city apart!”

This was a very heavy plan story. Batwoman is introduced and she’s there to help with not only the flooding but helping the grotesque monster men that show up near the end of the story. I don’t know much about her, but between this issue and Nightwing, I’m excited to figure out who she is.

One of the little things I liked was the fact that Luke wanted to go out there and be a part of the action. It’s very much a Robin trait and even though he’s not one, it’s cute to see. I also like that Batman told him to “check the syllabus” for when he could go and help out and be ready. Especially since I’m in college now and am always checking my syllabuses (syllabi?), it cracked me up that even Robins get one.

I did like the art for this. Though it was a little nasty to look at the monster men, that means the art style is doing its job!

Justice League #5

Summary:““THE EXTINCTION MACHINE” part 5! In this concluding chapter, the race to the corners of the Earth is on for Aquaman as he holds the key to saving our planet from destruction—if he can make it in time before the last doomsday machine powers up! Can Superman survive his trip to the Earth’s core? Is this the final battle between the Justice League and The Kindred—or just the start of something far worse?

We’re finally finishing this fucking plot and I can’t wait for it to be done. This issue really showed all of them working as a team to defeat these creatures, even when they were taking some of their powers. Even Superman actually helped out.

One of the things that I really liked about this was the art. The art looked amazing for this issue. The backgrounds and the textures for the monsters were really awesome. I can’t wait for next issue and see what happens.

Nightwing #5

Summary:““Night of the Monster Men” part 2! The Monster Men are stomping their way through Gotham City. How can the Bat-team face the monsters and the storm of the century? And when Nightwing goes behind the scenes to discover where the monsters came from, what lurks in the shadows may be worse than the monsters themselves!”

I honestly can’t understand why this plot was continued here and not in the next issue of Batman. I kept sitting there reading this going “Great story. Why is it in Nightwing though?”. I did like this story and it looks like it’s continuing in another comic I don’t get.

It’s sad this isn’t continuing in a comic I’m reading because I want to see what happens to Claire. They threw in this “she dies if she uses more of her power” story and she’s disobeying Batman to just that. I do want to see it.

I really liked the fact that there was a Bat Beacon, which was a recorded message for Gotham to get them to safety. I think it was really sweet and thoughtful of Batman to do that.

Raven #1

Summary: ““The White Carnival” part 1! In a tale set between TEEN TITANS #24 and TEEN TITANS: REBIRTH #1, Raven takes a break from the team and moves to San Francisco to stay with her estranged aunt and face her most perilous challenge yet: high school! As Raven discovers more about her human side, one of her classmates goes missing under mysterious circumstances, and she must face an evil like none she’s known before!”

This comic is not in the Rebirth series, but I loved it none the less. From the summary alone, I knew I was going to like it, and I was absolutely right.

I loved the fact that Raven sees her cousin praying to God while eating dinner at her aunt’s house. It’s so different from Raven’s world and it’s going to be interesting to see if she will connect with this family.

I love the actual art style (which the comic is not it) and I love her outfit (pictured below) that she’s in. It looks goth like and like her uniform without it screaming “I used to be a hero with the Teen Titans!” I also love the fact that her speech bubbles are different from everyone’s, too. It adds to the style.

I often complain about Archie Comics and their pandering social media practices, which got me thinking… what would be different if I controlled Archie Comics social media accounts?

To be clear, I do love Archie Comics for what they produce. A lot of their comics are great escapes from the typical superhero stories that pop up twice a month. Their comics remind me of high school and stress that comes along with it. But as an Archie fan, there are definitely some changes that I would like to see the company make in order to enhance the reader experience, including:

1. Toning down the frequency of advertisments

I understand that Archie Comics, from a business perspective, wants to advertise up-and-coming comics. That’s how I found out that Josie and the Pussycats, Betty andVeronica, and Reggiewere getting a new comic, so I have no real complains there.

However, this advertising can be excessive on social media.

For example…

Archie Comics shared on Facebook that they will be at New York Comic Con this yea, but instead of accompanying this post with a photo related to New York Comic Con, they instead chose to include a visual advertisement for Archie Meets the Ramones. It’s just not relevant.

The company also over advertises their upcoming comics on social media, an example being the heavy advertising that led up to Josie and the Pussycats first issue (which came out on September 28). Almost every post for the days up until that point was about Josie and the Pussycats, and while I understand the company’s desire to get fans excited for the comic, forcing advertising down fan’s throats is too excessive.

2. Doing memes….but having them make sense.

This. ^

This the exact thing I hate when it comes to companies trying to appeal to teens/trending topics.

How does this make any sense to someone? I get the beginning is a “funny” reference to Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day and their song “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” but every unoriginal asshole on the Internet uses that joke.

The second part of the tweet is a reference to Mean Girls (one of my favorite movies ever)… another joke I’m totally over.

That last little “buy our comics” bit is so sad and so desperate. This makes me imagine some grown man, probably in his 40s, getting no help from his children on what’s hip, so he’s stumbling around trying to figure it out himself.

How can you do a relevant meme with Archie? Well, the running gag on their Tumblr is that Archie himself runs their social media. If they wanted to be relevant, then they easily could have done a #DescribeYourselfWithThreeFictionalCharacters post. They could have either done three incarnations of Archie himself OR gotten creative and thought of three other characters that might be similar to Archie.

Conan O’Brien chose Archie for one of his three fictional characters, so this would have been the perfect opportunity for the company’s social media page to jump on the trend.

You can be relevant without pandering.

3. Posting fan art.

This one is a little bit of a difficult one.

I feel that Archie could benefit from fan involvement by sharing fan art, but I know the company would never do that. Years ago, they tried suing Fanfiction.net because people were writing fan fictions about their characters, citing that the action would “dilute and tarnish their character.”

You read that right. The company that has had Ashlee Simpson referenced in their comics, did a crossover with Glee and the movie Sharknado, thinks that fans writing stories about characters romantically and/or sexually together would tarnish their character.

Sure, Jan.

I feel like if they did contests for fan art or stories through their social media pages, they could get more fans involved, and it would be a great way to showcase talent.

4. Doing Facebook Live Q and As with writers and artists.

Tumblr recently did a Q and A session with writer Mark Waid, which was very interesting. It made me wonder why these kind of live events don’t happen more often.

Hell, Archie Comics could even do it as a promotional live event with Riverdale with the actors answering questions on the set. This would be a great way for fans to be able to ask questions and feel connected with a comic book brand that has been in their lives for a long time.

These are just some of my ideas with what I would do to run Archie Comics social media. This was mostly in fun, but I think if they did do some of these things, their social media presence would be less cringe worthy.

What changes do you think Archie Comics should make in regards to social media? Let us know in the comments!

Afterlife With Archie

Summary: “All hell breaks loose when a fateful accident sets in motion a series of terrifying events that will threaten the town of Riverdale like never before! When the dead begin to rise, craving human flesh, it’s up to Archie, Betty and Veronica, and the Gang to fight for their lives against the zombie hordes led by their former pal, Jughead…”

I previously received a free black and white version of this comic at a festival and instantly fell in love with it!

I’m not usually one for gore or scary stories (To put that into perspective, I got very uncomfortable while watching Deadpool), but weirdly enough, this series wasn’t that terrifying to me.

The story of this comic series is really interesting. Reggie hits Jughead’s dog, Hot Dog, with his car, and Jughead goes to our good pal, Sabrina, to try to bring Hot Dog back to life. After ignoring her aunts’ warnings to not mess with necromancy, they bring Hot Dog to life again and he becomes a zombie. Sabrina is punished by being damned and having her mouth removed, and Hot Dog bites Jughead and turns him in to zombie. Slowly – but surely – Jughead starts turning others into zombies and it’s up to Archie and those who aren’t bit to save the day.

I love this storyline – it’s very realistic and mature for an Archie comic. This is how Archie does modern day plotlines and pop culture right. There’s no memes or hashtags, it has a great story line, and the art is amazing, so why are we stuck with the stuff coming out now? Obviously this genre sells and does well (without this, we would have no Chilling Adventures of Sabrina!), so why doesn’t Archie do much more creepy horror genre stuff?

The art is amazing. It can be detailed where it needs to be (usually in bloody scenes) and it has amazing backgrounds and minimalist work. The only downside is that the comic is in color! The colors used reminded me a lot of a Halloween store: a lot of black, purple, and orange. I think these are nice color choices, but it gets old quickly. This comic would have looked really cool in black and white, making the novel visually different from the ones currently on the market.

If you want to get a start with Archie Comics, then this volume would be a perfect starting point! I would recommend it to almost everyone, the exception being kids, as there’s quite a bit of violence and sexual references throughout the series.

Check it out, GeekGirl World!

Will you be checking out Afterlife With Archie? Let us know in the comments!

New York Comic Con is coming up in October, but the NYCC exclusive Nerd Block is already here!

The exclusive box was released in limited circulation by Nerd Block and ReedPop.

A limited-edition curated collection of epic NYCC collectibles and gear for serious convention nerds! The Limited Edition NYCC Block contains 10 amazing collectibles as well as an officially licensed T-shirt designed by ShirtPunch. In total, this block has SIX EXCLUSIVES – including an Infinity Gauntlet exclusive! Retail value of over $90, for only $39.99! – NerdBlock

My box was delivered over the weekend while I was out of town, so I asked my boyfriend to stop by my house and pick it up for me. After all, I couldn’t have $90 worth of NYCC merchandise sitting on my doorstep for an entire weekend!

Had I known what was in the box, I probably would have left it for the thieves on purpose.

Here’s what I got:

NYCC T-Shirt

I was hoping that the provided t-shirt would be a NYCC design, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The design is charmingly plain, and the shirt is soft and of good quality. Women’s graphic tees tend to run small, but I found the size (a women’s small) to be a true fit.

Now do I wear this or my favorite geeky tee to Comic Con? Decisions, decisions.

Rating: 5/5 ripped Hulk shirts.

NYCC Pin

I didn’t expect to see a pin in a box full of NYCC exclusives, but okay. I’ll roll with it.

The pin is designed to look like a New York City sewer grate (aka a Ninja Turtle door), and surprisingly enough, it’s extremely sturdy! The addition of a second clasp provides an extra opportunity to stab yourself. Yass!

Rating: 4/5 Spongebob Squarepants band-aids.

Gryffindor Socks

Master has given Meggy Harry Potter socks… Meggy is free!

I love Harry Potter. I love socks. Mix the two together, and I’m officially enthralled.

These Gryffindor socks are incredible cute, but unless you have a child’s shins and calves, the print will stretch and become distorted. They’re a little snug, as well, which is sure to be a huge issue for anyone with large calves.

Rating: 3.5/5 Quidditch goals

Revolution Issue #1

It wouldn’t be a comic convention box without a comic, now would it?

Revolution is a brand new Transformers comic book series by IDW publishing. The cover art looks incredible, and after a quick browse through the actual comic, I’m pleased to say that the interior artwork is stunning as well.

I haven’t paid much attention to Transformers since Michael Bay butchered the series, but I’m excited to dive into this comic none the less!

I’ll be reviewing this comic at a later time, so stay tuned!

Rating: 4/5 Chevy ad placements and Victoria’s Secret models

Glow-in-the-Dark Slimer Dashboard Spring

This dash accessory has the shape of Slimer down, but the ghoul’s eyes are too small, too red, and way too creepy for my taste. It does glow in the dark very well, and the spring is, well, springy.

I’m too terrified of this Slimer to keep it in my own vehicle, but I definitely know my big brother would get a kick out of it! #regift

Rating: 2/5 crossed streams

The Walking Dead projection key chain flashlight

This key chain light is decorated with The Walking Dead‘s logo and projects the series iconic “Don’t Open, Dead Inside” when flashed onto a surface.

It’s a neat little gimmick that is sure to get old quick, but the light is bright enough to act like an actual flashlight when you’re fumbling for something in the dark.

Kind of lame, kind of cool, kind of going on my lanyard.

…For now

Rating: 3/5 chained walker pets

Ninja Turtle Shoelaces

Never have I ever rocked crazy shoelaces, but I’m totally ready to rock these Ninja Turtle ones!

The pattern is cute, the colors are vibrant, and the material seems sturdy enough for shoe laces.

They’re totally tubular, dude!

Rating: 4/5 pepperoni pizzas

Voltron Wallet

I don’t watch Voltron (sorry – I was a 90s baby) but now that I own a Voltron wallet, I guess I have to.

The design is nice, but the wallet itself is nothing special. It’s a standard canvas wallet that nearly anyone can design online. It’s cheaply made, and since there are no clasps (button, VELCRO, magnet) to keep the wallet closed, it awkwardly flops around and exposes your goodies. No bueno.

I don’t think I’ll ever use this – It may as well be a cheap paperweight.

Rating: 2/5 classic 80s cartoons

Infinity Gauntlet

Speaking of paper weights…

Included in the NYCC Nerd Block was an Infinity Gauntlet paperweight.

The gauntlet is adored with infinity crystals, but annoyingly enough, they are not perfectly centered in their designated spot. Even so, the gauntlet is beautiful and well designed.

I shall gaze upon this gauntlet each time I need to be motivated to take over the universe.

Rating: 4/5 guardians of the galaxy

Disco Spiral digital print

A terrible and strangely imagined digital print of an X-Men villain nobody cares about…and it’s not even autographed!

Say hello to the recycle bin, Spiral. May you be reborn as a Chipotle catering menu.

Rating: 0/5 mutant dance parties

Overall rating: 2/5 ridiculously long panel lines

Disappointment has a name, and it’s Nerdblock.

I purchased the New York Comic Con Nerd Block in hopes of getting my hands on highly coveted exclusive toys and accessories without waiting in line for hours, but nobody in their right mind would ever wait in line for the items I received.

These are the items you definitely would find in the Comic-Con clearance bin, and I paid 50 fucking dollars for them. Some of the items were neat, don’t get me wrong, but I essential paid $50 for $20 worth of low quality merchandise.

I feel incredibly ripped off and deceived. If I could return it all to Nerdblock for a refund, I would.

Betty and Veronica #1

Summary: “It’s Betty vs. Veronica! The most highly-anticipated debut in comics history is here! Betty and Veronica are America’s sweethearts – until they turn on each other! Pops’ Chocklit Shoppe is being taken over by a huge coffee company. When Betty and Veronica go head-to-head over the issue, all bets are off! Friendships will shatter. Cities will burn. Nails will be broken. Betty and Veronica are back in this all-new #1 from comics legend Adam Hughes (Wonder Woman, Catwoman,Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan)!”

I was really excited for this comic! I’ve enjoyed pretty much every new Archie comic, and although I did like this one, I really can’t say much about it besides “ehh.”

The art style of this particular comic is different from the other comics, but it’s okay at best. When the art is bad, it’s really bad. Some of the facial expressions are really weird and though the artist tries to make them appear a bit realistic, it doesn’t work for everyone every time. Luckily, Archie Comics usually changes their artist after a few comic issues, so this likely won’t be a permanent problem.

As far as the story is concerned, the plot involves a small town store (Pop’s) vs a big corporation store (owned by Veronica’s father). The story is average but it will be interesting to see which side the characters ultimately choose – the small town store or the big name store.

The writer should have named this comic Betty vs Veronica, as I have a feeling this whole comic series will end up pitting the two against each other.

Strangely enough, the story is told through the perspective of Jughead’s dog, Hot Dog. It’s really weird.

I’m hoping this comic does not end up being very cliche.

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey Rebirth

Summary: ““WHO IS ORACLE” Chapter One: Batgirl and Black Canary are together again, working a case that strikes right at the heart of their partnership! Someone’s uncovered the greatest secret Barbara Gordon ever kept: her time as Oracle, the most powerful hacker on the planet. And not only do they know her secret, they’re using her name to sell dangerous information to criminals! Now one of those deals has brought some major heat to Gotham City…Helena Bertinelli is out of Spyral, wearing the hood of the Huntress, and making mafia blood run in the streets! Everything you thought was hidden will be revealed if the Oracle has their way…”

I wasn’t sure how much I was going to like this comic, but I ended up really liking this story.

I don’t really know much about Batgirl, Oracle, Black Canary, or Huntress, but I have a good friend that everyone calls Babs, so I really wanted to learn about the character.

The comic delves into character background information that a newcomer still might not fully understand, but is not dumbed-down.

So far I really like both Huntress and Black Canary. I’m a sucker for female led comics, so I have a feeling that I will be really liking this series.

A-Force #7

Summary: “After narrowly escaping a grisly death at the hands of one of their own, a weary but determined A-FORCE make bold moves to free NICO and the town from Countess’s control. However, saving the day is going to take more than just super-powered punches. A-FORCE is going to have to go deeper than that – changing Countess’s very mind – which is not exactly something super villains readily embrace. Meanwhile, developments with the team’s sparkly THOR rock A-FORCE to the core.”

The art is a little inconsistent in this issue.

Some of the panels have Medusa looking a bit thicker than usual. Though it’s no skin off my bones since I’m always looking for comics with bigger characters, this could be an issue for people who like consistency. But in general, the art style is still very enjoyable.

This was a Dazzler and Thor focused comic, and I ended up enjoying it a lot. This incarnation of Thor slightly looks like Dazzler, so it’s interesting to see the interactions between the two. Dazzler was even allowed to pick up Thor’s hammer, which was awesome to see!

Thor ultimately ends up leaving the comic (bummer), but it was still good!

Batman #3

Summary: ““I AM GOTHAM” Chapter Three: Batman and Gotham strike out together to get to the bottom of the mysterious attacks against the city. Could this novel and headstrong new hero be everything Gotham City needs…at the cost of the Dark Knight?”

This comic focused mainly on Gotham and Gotham Girl’s backstory, which is supposed to be a bit of a secret, but is very obvious.

We learn that Gotham (also known as Hank) was out with his parents when they were tragically killed. Batman obviously lost his parents in the same way, and this common tragedy ultimately unites them as partners. Strangely enough, Gotham Girl (also known as Claire) gets vivid nightmares about Hank’s partners dying, even though she wasn’t there. It simply doesn’t make sense.

I really didn’t like how quickly Gotham and Batman teamed up. I was hoping for a friendly rivalry, but since both of them want to protect the city for the same reason, I understand why teaming up is a good idea. Even so, a rivalry would have made for a much more interesting story line.

Justice League #1

Summary:” “THE EXTINCTION MACHINE” Chapter One The oceans rise. The earth quakes. And an ancient power rises to reclaim not just the world, but the universe itself—and not even the combined might of the Justice League can stop it. An all-new era begins with this epic by comic book legend Bryan Hitch (JLA, The Ultimates) and master storyteller Tony S. Daniel (BATMAN: R.I.P., DEATHSTROKE). ”

I’ve been very bored with Justice League, with this issue in particular being a struggle to finish.

I found it difficult to wrap my head around the fact that a whole team of super-powered people are up against what seems to be naturally occurring phenomenons. How is the entire Justice League supposed to stop an earthquake? That makes no sense to me.

Though I was infuriated and confused by this issue, it was still visually nice to look at. Very boring, but still eye candy.

Archie #10

Summary:“It’s Team Archie vs. Team Betty! A civil war has broken out in Riverdale — friends against friends, parents against parents, with the entire town torn down the middle by an event that forces everyone to take sides! No joke — the events of this issue will impact Archie and his pals for some time to come!”

I cried reading this comic. Not a good cry, but a sad, hurtful cry. That’s how furious I was at Archie after reading this issue.

Allow me to explain.

Betty approaches Archie and finally has the nerve to ask him why he likes Veronica more than her. His reason? Veronica is more confident in who she is than Betty is.

Archie made this conclusion from the #LipstickIncident (I still hate typing this!), but he doesn’t know Betty’s side of the story. Even though the pair had been together for a long time, Betty apparently doesn’t know what Archie wants in a girl. He says that she’s kind of flip floppy (please hold for irony), which makes Betty cry, which made me cry.

Betty didn’t deserve that comment and they both know it. Based on Archie‘s past pandering, we’re either going to get a lot of “Wow. What’s her problem? #GirlProbs, am I right, teen market?” or the situation is going to get ignored completely. I haven’t figured out which is worse yet.

This is literally the third modern Archie comic where Archie is a jerk with little-to-no comeuppance.

To make matters worse, Archie Comics is desperately trying to scrape plot points together by bringing up the fact that Mr. Lodge (Veronica’s father) is running for mayor. Mr. Collier, a mean teacher who quits after Archie posts a video of him getting mad at a student, is also running for mayor, and by the way, he’s Betty’s uncle! The whole thing smells of a Democrat vs Republican debate, with Mr. Collier being a democrat and Mr. Lodge being a republican. The plot was extremely boring for a comic book.

Wonder Woman #3

Summary: ““THE LIES” Chapter Two: Wonder Woman must team up with one of her greatest enemies to solve a growing mystery about Themyscira as “The Lies” continues!”

As I get further into the Wonder Woman comics, I’ve come to the realize that I don’t really like the plot of this comic. It’s slow, boring, and it can be summed up with this video:

The plot of this comic is literally my least favorite way to get background out to new readers. I understand when it comes casually or if a whole comic is dedicated to it in a not-so-subtle way, but this comic was in your face with character background, and get it out of here before the reader gets sleepy.

The only saving grace of this comic, besides the art itself, is the characterization of Wonder Woman. She’s very levelheaded and understanding. She is confused by her past and not sure what the truth is, and therefore could have very easily been written as a very overreacting woman. It’s a very nice change of pace to see an overemotional stereotypical woman not leading a role in a comic.

Jughead #8

Summary:“It’s Jughead vs. Archie and Mr. Weatherbee vs…a bear?!! Even the quiet of the wilderness can’t escape the madness that’s raging through all of Riverdale!”

This is the last Jughead comic written by Chip Zdarsky. I really liked his version of Jughead and it’s sad to see him leave, but from the interviews that I was reading, eight Jughead comics were his intention all along.

Either way, I can’t complain.

Jughead time and time again ends up being one of the best comics I read all month, and this issue is definitely no exception. this issue has a cute ending to a short story line, a good character arc for someone who is not usually considered a main character (spoiler alert: it’s Mr. Weatherbee), and finally, FINALLY, someone calls out Archie.

So Archie finally gets called out, and by Jughead no less. Archie flat-out calls Jughead “not normal” for being asexual, which Jughead doesn’t allow him to get away with. I don’t understand how comic writers can make their main character so unlikable without any actions for their consequences, but I’m glad that Archie has finally been told to knock it off.

Hopefully this will last.

Titans #1

Summary:“After an old ally returns to the team, the Titans set their sights on a dangerous enemy with the power to change reality itself! But the Titans have never faced a threat this massive before, and with so much on the line, will they be able to stand united as a team? Or will their past mistakes be their undoing?”

This comic is the perfect example of how to do an exposition well.

The Titans are trying to find out more about Wally, and although this mission isn’t a huge part of the storyline, it wasn’t skipped over quickly like it was in Batman. Linda still knows who Wally is and is trying to exploit him, which is a really…terrible. We also get to see the reveal of Abra Kadabra.

The art style still looks pretty good, minus Linda, who’s proportions I found to be very questionable. The weird thing is if you compare the art style of this comic to Nightwing, Grayson looks better in this one. I could actually tell that he was suppose to look human, unlike in his comic where he looks like someone tried to draw Nightwing as Superman and couldn’t draw either of them very well.

Nightwing #1

Summary:““BETTER THAN BATMAN” Chapter One: Batman taught Nightwing everything he knows—but what if everything he taught him is wrong? When Dick is stuck with a new mentor who challenges everything Batman taught him, Nightwing has to shatter his concept of justice in order to fight for what he knows is right. Writer Tim Seeley (GRAYSON, BATMAN & ROBIN ETERNAL) launches Nightwing onto a new quest alongside rising talent Javier Fernandez (RED HOOD/ARSENAL).”

The art style is a bit wonky here, especially in regards to Dick and Bruce. Bruce looks more like Dick than Dick does, and that’s how you know the artists have failed. Batgirl (Barbara) looks good and Damien looks good, but Dick doesn’t look human.

To be honest, the story was a bit hard to follow. The issue opens up with Dick talking over a circus acrobat routine and it looks like it’s going to get into his backstory but no, he’s just…there? It then turns out he’s working for this secret organization and gets paired up with Raptor, making him a sidekick again? Barbara was there too for some reason?

Let’s see how this plays out in my next review (which is in this article)!

Batgirl Rebirth

Summary:““Beyond Burnside” Chapter One: The Batgirl you know and love is going global with Eisner Award-winning and New York Times best-selling writer Hope Larson (A Wrinkle in Time, Goldie Vance) and all-star artist Rafael Albuquerque (AMERICAN VAMPIRE). In order to up her game, Babs travels to Japan on a quest to train with the most elite modern combat masters of the East. But when a chance meeting with an old friend puts a target on her back, Batgirl may need to use her new skills to solve a deadly mystery.”

I wasn’t sure how I was going to like Batgirl since I don’t know much about her, but I’m liking her more and more as I see her throughout these comics.

This was a really amazing first comic because she was backpacking to Japan and readers get to see her be a little normal. She even gets to meet her idol, Fruit Bat, and fight along side her. The story made her more human and it made her seem more real as a character.

This is only the beginning of this series, so I hopefully will have more to say when I review the next issue!

Sherlock: A Study in Pink #3

Summary: “The three-patch problem of A Study In Pink continues to unravel, in this thrilling manga adaptation of the smash-hit SHERLOCK TV series! John is pulled into a web of deceit, as he comes face-to-face with the man who describes himself as Sherlock’s “arch-enemy” – and Sherlock sets a trap for a serial murderer!”

This is a filler comic (at least when compared to the television series), but it does introduce a new character: Mycroft. If I didn’t know the episode this issue was based on like the back of my hand, or if the comic was the only way I’d learn about the story, I imagine it would be pretty boring.

Once again, the medium is wrong for the jokes that are being made. I noticed this with Anthea and John in the car where it’s more apparent that John is a bit of lady’s man and is trying to flirt with her in the show than in the comic. The other scene where this is apparent is when John and Mycroft are in the parking garage fixture meeting for the first time and John says, “Well thank God you’re above all that”. In the scene, you can clearly see how annoyed Mycroft was at being compared to Sherlock.

Speaking of Mycroft, he looks nothing like the actor who portrays him in the BBC series, Mark Gatiss. I finally have figured out the reason why, and it’s the same reason why John doesn’t always look like Martin Freeman: wrinkles would look terrible in a drawing! Gatiss and Freeman have face wrinkles that make their faces look like them and when you bring those features into a comic medium, the end result isn’t pretty.

Justice League #2

Summary:““The Extinction Machine” part two! Massive earthquakes shake cities to the ground as the ancient intelligence known as the Awakened takes control of the people of Earth, forcing them to turn against anyone with superpowers—including the Justice League! Unable to fight a war on two fronts, Batman asks for help from the one man he trusts less than anyone.”

This comic will never cease to confuse me. Now all the places in the world are dealing with natural disasters and the entire Justice League has to take care of it. At one point, and this is the point where I lose my mind, they decided they can’t solve this whole thing without Superman, who apparently needs to go to the center of the Earth to stop all of this.

That’s not how anything works, but alright!

On top of this, the new Green Lanterns don’t know their powers yet. I’m not reading the Green Lantern comic series, so please, can someone can inform me why are they there if they don’t know their powers yet? Shouldn’t there be a grace period for them to figure out what they can do before trying to save the entire world? I don’t know.

That’s just my thinking.

Nightwing #2

Summary:““Better than Batman” part two! Nightwing and his new mentor Raptor embark on their first assignment for the Parliament of Owls. Will Raptor prove himself a superior mentor for Nightwing? Or will they both fall prey to the fangs of Kobra?”

I do like that this comic and Batgirl‘s are kind of coming together (plot-wise) and I hope that that will make both comics really interesting. It was interesting when Barbara invited Dick out for a date, only to be stood up so Dick could help Raptor. We’ll have to see how this turns out later!

The plot line with Raptor and Nightwing already has the makings for a huge cliche that I know will be coming into fruition: two polar opposite characters that have nothing in common will soon realize that they are one-in-the-same and will soon become best friends.

It’s going to happen, it’s not clever in hiding it, and I’m waiting for it.

Summary:“CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN! Civil War has come to A-FORCE! As the team is wrecked by a personal tragedy things only get worse when a predictive vision proclaims one of A-FORCE is a murderer. CAPTAIN MARVEL attempts an arrest, creating a rift that may very well mean the end of the team, and setting in motion a chain of devastating events that affect far more than just A-FORCE. Meanwhile foul-mouthed, gun-toting ELSA BLOODSTONE just unofficially joined A-Force. Looks like we’re gonna need a bigger boat…and a verrrrry big black censor bar.”

I haven’t read Civil War II so this comic was a little bit confusing. I’m not sure what the whole issue is that they are fighting over (even though it was kind of explained), and I wish they didn’t bring the drama into A-Force.

Much like with the other comics in this pullbox, I really enjoyed the female characters. There were a few new ones introduced, such as Elsa and Misty Knight, who both have prosthetic arms like Nico. I think it’s really awesome that they have such diversity.

When it comes to the story in general, it’s okay, but if you haven’t read Civil War II, you will be as confused as I am. The story is basically that She-Hulk is in the hospital and they don’t know if she’s going to make it. Dazzler and Captain Marvel are arguing and Nico runs away and messes up shit with the Runaways.

I’m hoping that I’ll be getting more into this as the comic goes on.

Batman #4

Summary:““I Am Gotham” part four. When Gotham City falls prey to true evil, will Batman be abandoned by the new heroes Gotham and Gotham Girl? The Dark Knight must decide who to entrust with the safety of his beloved city if he hopes for any of its citizens to survive.”

I am not shocked at all that Gotham is evil and ends up killing twenty eight people (as well as ruining the Batmobile). This is the beginning of an evil plot between the two (something I mentioned earlier in the pullbox that I wanted), but this was suppose to be a shock. How? You can clearly see from the beginning the distrust between Batman and Gotham, you can see Gotham being distant, and now Batman is going to pay the consequence for it.

The only positive is the art style, which still looks really nice and has everyone looking like who they are suppose to. Though the background stories are really nice, the art style was the only redeeming feature of this comic.

Disney Princess #5

Summary: “The hit series continues! Disney’s beloved heroines have returned in this hilarious collection of Disney Princess comic strips! Featuring laugh-out-loud stories from the worlds of Ariel, Belle, Rapunzel, Tiana, Cinderella, Aurora, and more, this charming ongoing series will make all your royal dreams come true.”

There is a large variety of stories in this comic, so in favor of time, I’ll only be reviewing my favorites.

Mushu’s Review was really cute! The story is about Mulan’s ancestors giving Mushu a performance review in regards to his guardian job. If he does really poorly, he will no longer be a guardian and will be forced to work for the ancestors again (like in the beginning of Mulan). The art is really cute in this story and I really liked it. I have put Mulan down during every single issue review of this comic, but her stories are usually the best and are definitely cute.

Travel Cat is a Jasmine comic. Jasmine is trying to pack for a vacation, but Rajah keeps climbing into her suitcases to stop her from leaving. I really like the more realistic comics where it makes the princesses seem more like actual humans with real lives. I’m not shocked that Rajah is acting like a typical house cat, but I did love the fact that it took Aladdin and Jasmine pretending to be lovey-dovey to get the chaos to stop.

Belle and Maurice is a Belle comic (obvious). Belle’s father’s invention doesn’t work in the way he wants it, so she finds a unique way to use it. It’s very cute, albeit short, but I really liked it.

Beauty and the Books is yet another Belle comic, and this time Belle decides to have everyone help her organize the library. I really love this comic – all the different ways they try to organize the library is really cute and I could relate to it. It’s so hard to decide what’s the best way to organize bookshelves!

For the record, mine are all by height.

Wonder Woman #4

Summary: ““Wonder Woman Year One” part two! Paradise has been breached, Ares stirs, and the Amazons must answer with a champion of their own…one who is willing to sacrifice her home amongst her sisters to save a world she has never seen.”

I prefer this story line over the one in the forest – the art style is more unique and the story is much easier to follow.

The art has that Greek art feel to it, and even when it’s clear that the characters aren’t part of the human world, they somehow look human.

I really liked that the writer highlighted that Diana, aka Wonder Woman, is a very strong warrior. She beats the other women to be the one to bring Steve back into the regular world.

Diana’s mom gives her the Lasso of Truth in this issue, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Powerpuff Girls #2

Summary: “A hotshot movie director claims that his new movie is so scary, even THE POWERPUFF GIRLS will be too chicken to watch it! Never ones to back down from a challenge, fall into his trap! Using his “movie magic,” he’ll turn the girls into actual chickens so he’ll be free to enact his evil plans! Can the ChickenPuff Girls save the day?!”

Story-wise, this comic was pretty weird. I was worried that this issue was going to be television-focused again, but as it turns out, the story was more or less just an excuse to use a bunch of chicken and egg related puns.

The art is still really cute – even when the girls are chickens. The new art style still is better in a comic medium, so maybe if the new show doesn’t do well, the story could go there.

Basically, the girls get scared while seeing a trailer for a scary movie on TV. The guy who directed the movie calls them out and says that they’re too chicken to see it and turns them into chickens so he can make an omelette restaurant. It’s a weird plot, but it’s also more aimed at children so not everything has to make sense.

I still kind of liked it and can’t wait for the next issue.

Nightwing #3

Summary: ““Better than Batman” part three! Nightwing and Raptor have become the pride of the Parliament of Owls, successfully completing missions for them across the globe—but Batgirl is not happy. Can she convince Nightwing he’s gone too far, or has he fallen too far under Raptor’s influence?”

The story in this one really tries to immediately pull at the heartstrings, but this tactic wouldn’t work unless you were reading Batgirl as well.

The only person I feel bad for in this issue is Barbara, and whether that’s the intention or not, people might not feel this way if they haven’t read her comic and gotten to know her.

Babs immediately wants to beat Raptor up and is actually worried about Dick since she wasn’t sure if he was alive or not. I really like characters that seem human (as I’ve said before) and Barbara honestly is the most human character I’ve ever read out of the Batman series (well, besides Alfred). It’s really heartwarming to see her fears play out.

In the end though, Bab’s feelings don’t really mean that much to Dick since he’s still going to be working with Raptor – something she didn’t want – and he ignored her wishes to stop it and go back to Batman. That’s what irritates me about Nightwing: sometimes he’s too stubborn for his own good, but it’s part of what makes him a multilayered character.

Batman #5

Summary: ““I Am Gotham” part five. In the final chapter of this epic, is Batman truly the hero Gotham City deserves—or does it deserve better? In this ultimate showdown, where the line between allies and enemies blurs, the question will finally be answered…and the fate of Gotham will be decided.”

Oh Batman, please don’t start disappointing me.

This issue started off interesting. Alfred dressed up as Batman to distract Gotham and I kind of wanted him to fight Gotham himself. He was only a distraction, but I can have dreams.

The story is okay up until the point where Batman has to call the Justice League to help him out to defeat Gotham and Task Force X. I do not understand why he had to resort to back up…is Batman that incapable of doing things on his own? Does he always need Superman’s help now? Was that in an issue and I just missed it or something?

The art is great as usual, but the story is…all over the place. I’m going to keep reading, but I’ll be confused and bewildered.

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #1

Summary: ““Who Is Oracle?” part one! Someone has stolen the name Oracle right out of Barbara Gordon’s past! Hot on this false Oracle’s trail, Batgirl, Black Canary, and Huntress are all tracking the same mafia capo…so it makes sense to team up, right? Problem is, Barbara and Dinah need the secrets locked up in Oracle’s brain…and Helena Bertinelli would rather put a crossbow bolt right through it!”

If A-Force becomes too confusing for me, I might stick only to this comic for my girl team needs.

I like all three women (even though one of them is suppose to be the “bad guy”), and I really like the current plot and the art style.

The art makes all the girls look beautiful, and the colors and outfits highlights the differences between the characters. Though the art is a bit similar to most of the Rebirth styles, it still works really well with these characters. I think Huntress is really gorgeous, especially with all that purple.

I particularly enjoyed that they are all after the same goal: trying to find out who Oracle is.

I’m really excited to see where this story goes.

Justice League #3

Summary: ““The Extinction Machine” part three! The hive-mind entities known as the Awakened take their vendetta against the Justice League to the next level by changing ordinary people into grotesque monsters bent on hunting down super-humans all over the world. Meanwhile, Superman journeys to the center of the earth to stop the catastrophic quakes that are taking lives all over the world.”

At this point, the plot is no longer just about an impending natural disaster. Superpowered enemies who embody different disasters appear, and once again, the Justice League has to save everything.

Superman is still going to the center of the Earth to stop the chaos, but the best part about that is he doesn’t even know what to do. They send Superman of all people and he doesn’t know what to do.

In honor of the continued success of Pokemon Go, this Dog Day Sunday we have decided to feature all of the dog-type Pokemon! Because digital animals are totally more interesting than real-life animals.

Though the original 151 features only two dog-type Pokemon (Arcanine and Growlith), subsequent generations of the Pokemon game and television series have given birth to a plethora of new adorable (and kind of scary) dog-type Pokemon.

A 14″ version of Eevee will be available at Build-A-Bear online and in stores on Thursday, September 1.

Build-A-Bear’s Eevee Plush

The standard plush will retail for $28, with accessories available for Eevee at an additional cost. One such accessory is a Pokeball sleep suit, which will be available online and in stores for $12.50.

All Eevees purchased online and in store will come with an exclusive Pokémon Trading Card Game card.

The online-only set retails for $62 and includes the Eevee plush (duh), an Eevee cape, the Pokeball printed sleeper, an Eevee 5-in-1 sound insert, and the exclusive Build-A-Bear Workshop Pokémon TCG card.

Eevee’s Adorable Cape

The Eevee cape (which is adorably patterned with Eevee’s many evolution forms) and the 5-in-1 sound insert will be exclusive to the online-only set and will not be available for individual sale.

Eevee isn’t the first Pokémon to get the Build-A-Bear treatment – the stuffed retail giant also offers a Pikachu plush.

Fingers crossed that Build-A-Bear will continue to add more Pokémon to their growing family!

Will you be purchasing your very own Eevee? Let us know in the comments!

Bleach‘s impressive 15-year manga run may have ended this week, but fans haven’t yet seen the last of Ichigo Kurosaki and his ridiculously powerful friends.

Weekly Shōnen Jump (the publication behind Bleach) has confirmed that the popular supernatural action series will be getting a live-action adaptation.

Few details about this upcoming film have been released, but it has been announced that Sota Fukushi (Kamen Rider) will star as Ichigo Kurosaki. Shinsuke Sato (Gantz) is set to direct, and it has been confirmed from the horse’s mouth that Bleach creator Tite Kubo will be heavily involved in the production of the film.

The film is scheduled for a 2018 release.

Do you think it’s possible to condense 15 years of action in film? Let us know in the comments!

Hungry for more Bleach goodies? Check out what Ari thought of the manga finale!

While DC fans were initially pumped to see see many of their favorite comic book characters on the big screen for the first time (Hey Harley!), reactions to the film mostly ranged from meh to ohmygoshsomepleasegaugeoutmyeyes. Joel Kinnaman, who played Suicide Squad leader Rick Flag, reportedly stopped reading reviews because “they were not kind.” Even Jared Leto, who played the iconic supervillain Joker, was so unhappy with the film that he didn’t even watch it and had exactly two words to say to Warner Bros. (We’ll let you guess which two!). Following the film’s release, there was definitely a want/need for seeing our beloved DC characters do… something else.

Something better.

The Laughing Man

Enter The Halvis Brothers‘ short fan film The Laughing Man, which debuted on YouTube August 2, 2016 (the same week Suicide Squad hit theaters).

Inspired by Scott Snyder’s Batman: Death of the Family, the film follows the Laughing Man (aka The Joker, portrayed by Zach Avery) and his counterpart Quinn (aka Haley Quinn, played by Whitney Able) as they torture a doctor at a psychiatric ward. The NSFW/Hard R short film clocked in at just over 20 minutes, and it masterfully made every minute second and scene count.

They say the devil is in the details, and that is certainly the case here.

From an artistic and technical stand point, the film was solid. I must have done 2529 screenshots of the film, because every image was beautiful, albeit haunting. Even though there were only 2 main sets, so much care and attention went into the background details: a blood smile on a television screen in the torture room, for instance. The film makers also experimented with different mediums, including animated “flashback” scenes, that really made the viewer feel like they were actually in this topsy-turvy world controlled by the Laughing Man.

The Laughing Man, NOT a re-run of Gray’s

This project was strong on every level.

The plot was clear and concise. It knew it was a short film, and didn’t cram anything in that didn’t need to be there. In doing so, the performances and characters were really able to shine. Avery was so disturbing as the Laughing Man. Reminiscent of Andrew Scott‘s Moriarty on Sherlock, he managed to insight fear and tension without even raising his voice. I could not get his face(s) out of my head, even long after I finished watching the film! Able as Quinn was everything I loved about Harley Quinn from Batman: the Animated Series. Her voice was perfect and her gestures were subtle but spot on. There’s a scene where Avery and Able are dancing, and mid-move, he just lets her Thump! on the floor, completely capturing the essence of the Joker and Harley Quinn’s complicated relationship: she trusts and obsessively dotes on him, while he merely uses her for his theatrical antics. Such a simple but powerful shot that conveyed so much about the characters’ psyche! Bravo!

Any hard feelings you may have had about Harley or the Joker after watching Suicide Squad will immediately disappear upon watching this short film.

I definitely recommend The Laughing Man to you, GeekGirl World! Watch it below:

What did YOU think GeekGirl World? Let us know in the comments section!

Want more Fan Film Friday fun, darling cinephiles? Be sure to check out our other FFF reviews here!

Previews is a magazine that – you guessed it – previews comic issues that will be coming out in a few months. September will bring some great titles, and I’m hoping to put them in my up-and-coming Pull Boxes.

Just as a note, some of these titles are books, not comics.

Tarzan on the Planet of the Apes

Summary: “Raised as brothers but separated by slave traders, Tarzan and heis ape brother Caesar renunite when the war between man and ape takes them from the jungles of the Africa to the center of the earth.”

This concept of this comic sounded really interesting to me. Some crossovers just don’t make any sense to me, but this one seems like a logical leap. No art other than the cover has been revealed for this comic, but I do like it. It’s a mix of surreal and cartoon, but it’s not too glaring or ugly. There isn’t much information about this comic to formulate a real opinion, so hopefully I’ll be able to talk about it more when it comes out.

Summary: “Archie Andrews and his calamitous crew of bosom buddies are some of the best-known characters to ever emerge from the pages of comic books. This beautiful reproduced paperback includes 200-plus pages of hilarious high-school high jinks and wonderful cartooning by the great talents who originally brought Archie to life! Collects stories from Pep Comics #46-#50 and Archie comics #7-#10”

I have never really read much of classic Archie and I don’t own any comics that would get me aquatinted with it. I think that this comic the perfect thing to do that. This book seems like it would be a necessity for any big Archie fan, or it would just make a very interesting coffee table book. This is the kind of book that would be a fun talking point or something your guests could read if you’re out of the room for a moment. Either way, I can’t wait to see some classic Archie and be able to add it to my growing Archie collection.

Cyborg Rebirth #1

Summary: “Victor Stone was once a star athlete and brilliant student with a bright future. But after a tragic accident destroyed over half of his body, Victor was kept alive by merging flesh with advanced technology. Today he is the Justice League co-founder called Cyborg. But is the young hero a man…or a machine that merely believes it’s a man?”

Before I get into the comic, let’s first do a quick explanation of how the DC Rebirth series works.

DC has been putting out two number one issues: the first being the zero zero of the comic and the next one being the actual first. [Insert Character Here] Rebirth #1 is usually the backstory while [Insert Character Here] #1 is the actual first comic. It took me too long to figure this out, and I know I’m not the only one.

There’s only artwork shown is the cover, but it looks so beautiful. I can’t wait to see the artwork for this. DC has really been doing well art-wise (with the exception of Nightwing), and this cover looks absolutely amazing.

Pardon my language, but I’m so fucking excited for this comic. I’ve loved the Teen Titans since I was little, and I still remember the first time I watched it with friends and fell in love with the characters. The fact that Cyborg is getting his own free-standing comic makes me so happy. I already read a Starfire free-standing comic and, as you’ll see later in my list, there’s going to be a Raven one, so a Cyborg comic only makes sense. I hope that this comic shows that Cyborg can do well on his own and cement his own movie in the future.

I can’t wait for this comic to end up in my box!

Teen Titans Rebirth #1

Summary: “The Teen Titans are farther apart than ever before…until Damien Wayne recruits Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and the new Kid Flash to join him in a fight against his own grandfather Ra’s al Ghul! But true leadership is more than just calling the shots-is Robin really up to the task? Or will the Teen Titans dismiss this diminutive dictator?

I have seen some art for this comic besides the cover, and I’m really excited!

It’s a different style than the other Rebirth comics in that it has a bit of a manga style, where it’s more obvious in some than others. I love how Starfire looks from the few concept arts I’ve seen and everyone overall looks good.

As mentioned before, I love Teen Titans. Based on the summary, this comic sounded a bit like the most recent direct to DVD movie Teen Titans vs Justice Legaue, but after reading it, I realized it was a new concept.

I liked Damien being a part of the team in that movie, but Starfire was the leader of it, so it’ll be interesting to see this concept! I’m excited to read this comic when it comes out.

Raven #1

Summary:” “The White Carnival” part 1! In a tale set between Teen Titans #24 and Teen Titans Rebirth #1, Raven takes a break from the team and moves to San Francisco to say with her estranged aunt and face her most perilous challenge yet: high school! As Raven discovers more about her human side, one of her classmates goes missing under mysterious circumstances, and she must face an evil like none she’s known before.”

Much like with Cyborg and Teen Titans, I’m excited to see what will come of this comic. So far only the cover has been unveiled. The art style is interesting, but I’m not sure what to make of it. I’m not sure if I like it or dislike it yet since it is so different, but I’ll have to see the actual comic to know for sure.

Raven wasn’t a favorite of mine, unlike Starfire who I immediately related to, but I really want to see this story and get into Raven’s mindset a little bit. I’m hoping that this comic will do her justice and won’t be cut short like a lot of the singular character comics that aren’t Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman.

She Changed Comics

Title:She Changed ComicsWritten by:Various. There are over 60 women in different comic fields credited. The whole list can be found at this link!Published by:Image Comics and CBLDFRelease Date: October 5, 2016Price: $14.99

Summary: “She Changed Comics is the definite history of the women who changed free expression in comics, with profiles of more than 60 groundbreaking female professionals and interviews with the women who are changing today’s medium, including Raina Telgemeier, Noelle Stevenson, G. Willow Wilson, and more! She Changed Comics also examine the plights of women imprisoned and threatened for making comics and explores the work of women whose work is being banned here in the United States. A must read for all ages, students, and educators.”

If this doesn’t sound like something that belongs on this website, I don’t know what would! As soon as I saw this title in the magazine, I knew I would have to get it and put it on this list. This won’t be going in a Pullbox (since it’s a book), but it definitely will be getting a review all on its own.

Though I know it seems so much like a bad word, I am a feminist, and I do particularly like reading about women working in an industry that is “supposed” to be for men and as such is usually run by men. I can’t wait to see a woman’s perspective about the comic and manga industry.

If anything, this book sounds like it will be an informative and interesting read.

Josie and the Pussycats #1

Summary:“Grab the latest, surefire, top-of-the-charts new Riverdale series! Friends, countrymen, lend me your long tails and ears for hats- the Pussycats are back! In this series kick-off, Josie’s getting the band together to help achieve her dreams of musical stardom. But for the group to last, it needs a strong foundation of friendship and trust. Can the girls get going, or will Alexandra’s plotting put a stop to the whole thing? Don’t miss comics’ supreme songstresses’ return to the limelight in this exciting first issue!

Before I was reading the new Betty and Veronica (which will be in the August Pullbox!), I was really excited for Josie and the Pussycats. Pretty much everything else that has come out from the new wave of Archie comics has been pretty good, but to give a slight spoiler to my reaction, Betty and Veronica was just “eh” at best.

Because of that, I’m worried that Josie will be lackluster.

Josie and the Pussycats is probably my favorite comic series out of all the Archie comics. Three girls forming a band in a small town is a realistic story that can easily be manipulated, but I’m very worried that comic won’t live up to the other Archie comics that are currently out. But from the art to the story summary, it does sound like something good will be coming from this series.

Summary:“The World’s Cutest Dog comes to comics! He’s Boo, the Pomeranian pup that’s become an internet sensation, and he’s ready for four-color adventures in his first-ever comic book! In this debut issue, Boo and his canine companions Buddy and Blueberry Pie create kitchen chaos when they can’t control their tummy rumblings; our favorite doggie becomes a “Boo-vie star” when he lucks into a Hollywood audition; and finally, Boo celebrates the birthday of adorable eight-year-old Audrey…but the party gets out of hand! Comic readers of all ages will love the whimsical, fun-filled escapades of Boo, the World’s Cutest Dog!”

Sometimes I feel like I’m not a “real” fan of comics. I love Archie comics and my favorite superheroes aren’t the ones that are usually the most popular, but this is one of the comics that makes me debate whether I am a real fan or not.

This is clearly just a kid’s comic, but it does look very adorable. I have a few of the stuffed dogs of this brand because they are so cute, and I love Pomeranians and think they are just so damn adorable.

I like light comics as well as “serious” ones, so I’m hoping that this comic will just be a fun one to read in between DC and Marvel, and it might even be a good read for younger readers that want to get into comics.

Mama Tits Saves the World

Summary: “Can one Pacific Northwest drag queen prevail in the fight against hate? Writer Charles “Zan” Christensen and artist Terry Blas-along with guest artists Sonya Saturday, Diego Gomez, and Justin Hall-take Seattle’s most famous activist queen to a new level in the new comic book Mama Tits Saves the World!”

Being pansexual, I try to have an active part in the LGBT+ community. I actively look for media made by fellow LBGT+ members, so seeing this in Previews was awesome, as there’s very few LGBT+ comics out there (and they’re hard to find).

This will only be a one shot comic, meaning only one issue will be released, so I’m hoping it will be very awesome. The art from the cover looks really good and it’s based on a real person so I can’t wait to see what happens.